


Leon, You're Staring.

by missusk



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Feelings Realization, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gay Panic, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:35:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27359650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missusk/pseuds/missusk
Summary: What was supposed to be a training session on Route 6 led to finding a baby Trapinch lying on the side of the road. Leon can understand why Raihan nurses the Trapinch back to health, but he can’t understand why his rival suddenly seems… different, nor can he understand why he can’t get the sudden mantra ofkiss me kiss me kiss meout of his head.
Relationships: Dande | Leon & Kibana | Raihan
Comments: 15
Kudos: 60





	Leon, You're Staring.

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote for a dear friend, the greatest Raihan simp to ever live.

“Stop!”

“Don’t tell me to stop, you stop!”

Laughter rang through the swaying grass of Route 6, easily surrounding the two trainers that trekked down the path. It was nearing sunset, and although that normally meant cooler temperatures, the intense heat was still blustering over the orange rock and over the Champion and Dragon Gym Leader. Flushed faces, sweaty bodies, shiny smiles – normally Leon loved training in the heat and found it exhilarating, but not when Raihan was desperate to strip out in the open.

“There’s no one out here, it doesn’t even matter,” Raihan retorted as he tried to pull his shirt off again, though Leon tugged it back down in defiance. “Leon it’s a billion degrees out!”

“We are _too_ close to Hammerlocke,” Leon growled in return. “What if someone sees you, half naked and sweating?”

“Then they’d say, ‘thanks for such a treat,’” Raihan said as he swatted Leon’s hand away again. “The _one_ time I’ve ever remotely hot and you don’t even let me cool down.”

“Don’t blame this on _me,_ ” Leon scoffed. “Blame this on you needing to keep your image family-friendly.”

“Rubbish,” Raihan said, and he quickened his pace so he was out of reach from Leon’s frustrated tugging. “You just want this half naked and sweaty body all to yourself.”

“Yeah okay,” Leon laughed. He shot a glance to Hammerlocke, and once he deemed it far enough away, let out a frustrated, “Whatever, do what you want.”

At that, Raihan made quick work of peeling off his shirt and tying it around his forehead, along with letting out an over-dramatic sigh. His skin glistened with a light sheen of sweat, and he rolled his shoulders as if his light t-shirt had been terribly constricting his range of motion.

“So much better,” he hummed. “Okay, your turn.”

“What?”

“C’mon champ, take it off,” Raihan teased as he gave Leon a once over. “Let’s see those famous pecs.”

“Maybe later,” Leon chuckled, rolling his eyes.

“Alright, how ‘bout a battle then?” Raihan grinned. “If I win, you take off your shirt. If you win, I’ll take off my pants.”

Leon barked out another laugh and added a playful shove as he and Raihan continued down the path. It wasn’t often he got to spend time with Raihan like this, but every minute seemed to refuel his energy stores. His best mate had a good habit of doing that, either with jokes or an intense, blazing battle. Lately, Leon had only been able to see Raihan on the Champion pitch, where they would ferociously throw everything they had at one another. So, being with Raihan like this almost made Leon giddy. He motioned to let out another quip, only to pause when Raihan held his arm out.

His smile was gone, and the electric blue of his eyes were no longer childishly glinting but were focused on something on the path ahead. Leon paused, waiting and listening for whatever it was that had taken Raihan’s attention. All that surrounded them was the swaying of the grass, then suddenly, a weak cry.

“Did you hear that?” Raihan asked, and Leon nodded.

There it was again. A faint mewling came from a tuft of green grass a few feet ahead, and Raihan delicately covered the space between him and the sound. Soft rustling filled the air as he knelt, then a quiet _‘oh, no.’_

“What?” Leon asked as he stepped behind Raihan.

“Poor thing,” Raihan whispered, completely ignoring the champion behind him. “You okay, buddy?”

Leon peered over Raihan’s shoulder to see him cupping the bruised jaw of a tiny Trapinch. The Pokémon had fat tears rolling down its cheeks, each of them glinting as they plopped to the dirt below. Its shaking only made the tears fall faster.

“I won’t hurt you,” Raihan whispered as he gently stroked the Trapinch’s head. “What happened?”

The Trapinch let out another soft cry, its entire body quaking.

“It’s so small,” Leon said as he watched Raihan inspect the Pokémon. It had a bruise on the top of its head, and what looked like a broken back leg. Bruises littered its body, and faint scratches throbbed red against the dirty orange of its skin.

“I think it’s just a baby,” Raihan said softly as he unraveled his shirt from his head. He lifted the Trapinch to gently swaddle it, who let out another soft cry. “You’re safe now, I won’t hurt you. Let’s take you to the Pokémon Center, okay?”

The two immediately turned back to Hammerlocke. Raihan’s strides were long, as they usually were, but he never once took his eyes off the Trapinch. He muttered soothing words to it as they traveled the short distance back to the city, and Leon’s brow furrowed at this sudden sweetness coming from his rival. What happened to that biting wit from barely two minutes ago, that blazing competition?

Hm…

Well, it was only natural that a Gym Leader be caring towards Pokémon.

Those thoughts faded as they reached the Pokémon Center in Hammerlocke. The nurse was quick and succinct, and informed them that the Trapinch was probably only a few months old, and would be fine despite whatever scuffle it was in. She healed up most of the bruises and scratches, but the broken back leg would take a while to heal. Raihan immediately decided he’d take care of the Pokémon for as long as it took for its leg to heal, the nurse nodded and said that was sweet, then again told him to please put on a shirt.

After finally obeying the nurse’s request and swaddling the Trapinch in a Pokémon Center–themed blanket instead, Leon and Raihan walked out the sliding glass doors and into the main streets of Hammerlocke.

“You’re going to be safe and sound with me, okay?” Raihan cooed as he held the Trapinch close to his chest. “I won’t let anything hurt you.”

The Trapinch let out another faint squeak, then nuzzled its face into Raihan’s chest. It was a cute motion, but what grabbed Leon’s attention was how Raihan smiled. It wasn’t something smug, there was no evidence of that cocky shark-toothed grin, but rather it was… gentle. Might’ve been the gentlest thing Leon had ever seen, coming from Raihan. The soft curve of his lips, the delicate squint of his eyes from that smile – it was something so strange, so foreign, and so confusing, it made Leon stop in his tracks.

He hadn’t done any strenuous exercise, so why was Leon’s heart suddenly thumping harder in his chest?

“What’s up?” Raihan asked, turning to face the suddenly still champion. “You good?”

Leon blinked a few times as he processed Raihan’s question. The setting sun was reflecting off the windows of the café beside them, softly dappling on the ground, on the Trapinch snuggled in his arms, and on Raihan himself.

Did… Did Raihan always look like this?

Long legs, trim waist, defined arms, soft smile, striking eyes… did Raihan’s eyes always look like that? Were they always that color? Shining electric blue in the light of the setting sun, as if he should be part of the sky as well?

…odd.

When he cocked an eyebrow, Leon jolted into focus again.

“Yes!” Leon blurted. “But where are we going!”

Raihan furrowed his brow at Leon’s volume, and shielded the Trapinch as if the noise would damage it further.

“My apartment,” Raihan said, and Leon fell into step with him as they started again. “I already said that, were you not listening?”

“No, I was, I was,” Leon said, trying to better maintain the strange squeak in his voice. “Yeah I heard you I just forgot.”

“Too busy staring at me?” Raihan asked. “Too distracted?”

“Wh-,” Leon started, his cheeks tingeing pink (though he was sure it was just because of the heat). “Th-that’s… No! That’s not true, that’s rubbish!”

Raihan’s brow furrowed, though his teasing smile was still easy on his face.

Why was Leon stuttering? Why didn’t he just laugh it off like earlier? Why didn’t Raihan’s joking accusation roll off his back, why was it jumbling the words in his mouth?

These questions didn’t seem to plague Raihan, as he only shrugged and led the way back to his apartment. Leon was unsuccessful in averting his gaze, because now he couldn’t quite understand why Raihan seemed different. He could accurately predict how much Hop had grown down to the quarter of an inch, so why couldn’t he pick out what was different about Raihan?

The same tall frame, strong shoulders, sharp jawline… and yet, there was something else, too. Something else that made Leon’s throat a little tight.

“Leon.”

“Huh?” Leon grunted with a start. “What?”

“I asked if you wanted to stay for dinner,” he asked, and Leon’s heart thumped yet again when Raihan squinted at him.

He nodded quickly, almost too quickly, though again he wasn’t sure why.

Before long they were in Raihan’s apartment, sitting on Raihan’s couch, both tucked in soft blankets as the cool twilight breeze blew in from the open window. The lights were dimmed, as to help Trapinch fall asleep faster, but Leon could only focus on how the soft glow of the lamps around them made Raihan seem almost ethereal.

“Come pet Trapinch, Leon,” Raihan hummed, and Leon immediately obeyed.

He scooched down the couch until he was an inch away from Raihan’s thigh, though he for some reason couldn’t cover the rest of the distance to press against him. When Raihan’s fingers brushed his, immediately goosebumps raised on Leon’s arms and he shot his hand back.

“Chill out, what’s wrong with you,” Raihan asked as he grabbed Leon’s hand again. “Are you that scared of a baby Pokémon?”

Raihan tugged him forward, and Leon’s unstable posture led him to tumble into Raihan’s side. Raihan must have been anticipating that, because he easily lifted his arm and wrapped it around Leon’s shoulders, his other arm still holding Trapinch against his chest.

Leon certainly wasn’t anticipating that, however, and he also wasn’t anticipating how his brain seemed to be short-circuiting. He swallowed, blinked a few times, and acted as normal as possible by giving Trapinch a few pats. Trapinch immediately let out another affectionate cry and nuzzled into Leon’s touch.

“You’re a natural,” Raihan sighed, his voice rumbling through Leon’s body.

Natural.

The word resonated within Leon, settled into his bones, as he again took in their placement.

Is that what this was?

“You’re so sweet,” Raihan whispered, wrinkling his nose again when Trapinch bumped it.

Leon’s brow furrowed.

This… was this even Raihan?

“You hungry?” Raihan asked Trapinch, his voice barely a hum as Trapinch bumped his nose again. “No? What do you want?”

Raihan pressed a gentle kiss onto the Pokémon, who let out a garbled cry of delight. He chuckled and pressed another kiss to Trapinch’s paw as Leon stared with a confused countenance. Who was this man, so gentle and calm, pressing gentle kisses to a baby Pokémon?

Leon’s eyes flit to Raihan’s mouth when he kissed Trapinch again.

This man sounded like Raihan, looked like Raihan, and yet something seemed… different. Leon squinted his eyes.

Hm.

What was it?

His eyes? His smile? His lips?

Leon’s eyelids lowered an inch.

Maybe…

Were Raihan’s lips always so plush…?

So… soft and perfect?

What would it feel like if…

What if that were him?

Soft lips pressing against his… sweet whispers just for him… that smile so close…

Leon’s eyes widened at that thought and he immediately bolted off the couch. Both Raihan and Trapinch jumped, and Raihan offered a frustrated scowl at the haphazard movement. He curled his arms around Trapinch into a secure hug, protecting it from the fumbling champion.

“Sorry,” Leon spluttered out. “I-I, uh, I thought I felt something.”

Raihan raised an eyebrow, then glanced to where Leon was sitting.

“What?” he asked.

“I’m going to get a drink,” Leon coughed. “Um. Be right back.”

“…Alright,” he said as Leon scrambled to the kitchen. That suspicious gaze was boring into the back of his head, and Leon again wondered what the hell was going on with him.

As Leon filled a cup for himself and promptly chugged it down, those images kept flashing into his mind.

Raihan, holding Leon in his lap.

Raihan, smiling against his lips.

Raihan, kissing his cheek, his jaw, his neck.

Raihan, whispering soothing words to him.

“Leon?”

With a start, the glass tumbled from Leon’s hands and shattered on the floor, spurring a yelped expletive from the champion.

“You alright?” came Raihan’s voice from the other room.

“Yeah!” Leon called back, though he was definitely not alright. “Just, uh, the glass slipped!”

“Okay, well the broom’s in the closet. Get me a cup too when you’re done.”

“Yeah,” Leon called again, then he let out a sigh. “Yeah, I will…”

What was going on with him? Raihan was his rival and best mate, and that was the limit. He couldn’t think about him like that, like he was something… more than that.

Leon had swept up the shattered glass and was going to grab another from the cabinet, only to freeze when Raihan stepped into the kitchen too, stopped only a foot away, hands on his hips and scowl on his face.

“Leon, you’re acting weird,” Raihan said as he squinted his eyes and leaned closer. “What’s going on with you?”

Raihan had leaned closer only a few inches, but the less space between them was dizzying. Those eyes, those lips, that body pressing into his space – it was all suddenly squeezing Leon’s chest, beading the sweat on his brow, and making his heart pound in his ears. Had Raihan always been this tall? Had he always looked like this? Had his eyes always been that color? Had his lips always seemed so, so, so soft?

“Where’s Trapinch?” Leon deflected as he backed against the counter.

“Sleeping on the couch, don’t change the topic,” Raihan said as he stepped closer. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing!” Leon blurted. “Nothing, nothing’s wrong.”

“Liar,” Raihan said. “Your face is flushed.”

“No it isn’t,” Leon quickly retorted, yet he could feel his cheeks burning the closer Raihan leaned.

_Kiss me_

The thought was gone as quickly as it came, yet it seared into Leon’s brain like it was burned there.

Was… was that him?

Did he just think that?

Did Raihan hear that?

No, why would he think that?

Why would.

Why would…

“Yes it is, you're blushing,” Raihan said as his brow furrowed. He lifted his hand, and Leon’s breath caught when he gently cupped his jaw, then ran his thumb over Leon’s cheek.

_Kiss me_

“I-I,” Leon stuttered. “I-I, um…”

His eyelids were fluttering despite himself, and something pulled much too strong in his stomach when Raihan set his hand beside Leon’s waist, effectively pinning him against the counter.

What was going on with him?

_Kiss me_

He didn’t really want Raihan to kiss him, right?

_Kiss me_

He was his best mate, his rival, not someone Leon was… was…

Raihan’s eyes flicked to his lips.

_Kiss me kiss me kiss me_

…was suddenly and insanely attracted to.

“You sure?” Raihan whispered. “This is the fourth time I’ve caught you staring at me.”

“W-was I?” Leon coughed out. Raihan nodded. “I, uh, hadn’t noticed.”

“I have,” Raihan said as he pressed closer. “Staring at my lips, actually. You doing that on purpose, or do I have something on my face?”

_Kiss me_

“Nothing’s on your face,” Leon replied dumbly. “I-I mean there is, that’s why I was… um… staring.”

“Why don’t you get it for me,” Raihan breathed as he leaned closer.

“I… I…” Leon mumbled. His words were failing him, as was his will to stop whatever this was, as Raihan tilted his chin up.

“I’ve been flirting with you for years and all it took was snuggling a Trapinch?”

_Kiss me_

“Well, I-I,”

_Kiss me_

“I meant that… um…”

_Kiss me kiss me kiss me_

“What do you want, Leon?” Raihan whispered. The nerves on his lips were tingling as if lightning were about to strike.

_Kiss me kiss me kiss me_

“I want… I want you to… um…”

Raihan’s breath whispered over Leon’s lips, only a few inches away. Everything in Leon was burning – his cheeks, his throat, his chest, his mind as that thought repeated again and again.

_Kiss me kiss me kiss me kiss me_

“I… I want…” Leon whispered again.

_Kissmekissmkissmekissmekissmekissmekissmekissmekissmekissme_

“Say it, Leon,” Raihan breathed.

_“Kiss me.”_

Raihan covered the space between them, hovered an inch away, and gently pressed his lips against Leon’s.

Softly.

So, so softly. It was such a soft kiss, just as soft as Leon imagined. Perfect, plush lips, pressing against his, between his, just a glint of electric blue whenever his eyes would flutter open – it all made him a little dizzy.

“Kiss me,” Leon mumbled against Raihan’s mouth, who in turn let out a laugh.

“I literally am,” Raihan said, and offered Leon another peck, then another when Leon gripped the front of his shirt.

“Kiss me,” Leon mumbled again, as if those were the only words he knew.

Raihan opened his mouth to respond, only to be cut off by a cry from the living room. Immediately Raihan bolted away to tend to Trapinch, and Leon was left cold from the lack of Raihan’s heat against him, and yet everything within him was burning.

Did that…

Did they…

Did that just happen?

Suddenly Raihan’s head popped out from around the corner.

“The second I get Trapinch to sleep, you will meet me on the couch, and we will continue that.”

Leon breathed out a laugh when Raihan smiled, and he nodded at the idea of fulfilling those wonderings he had only earlier that night.

Luckily it didn’t take long for Trapinch to fall asleep.


End file.
